Washboard.



B. M. MOORE.

WASHBOARD.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 13. 1912.

1 ,1 6U 7%6. V Patented Nov. 16, 1915.

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BRICE M. MOORE, OF HANNIBAL, MISSOURI.

WASI-IBOARD.

Specification of Letters Patent; 1

Patented Nov. 1d, 1915.

Application filed November 13, 1912. Serial No. 731,159.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Baron M. Moons, a

citizen of the United States, residing at veniently adjusted in soaping position.

The invention embodies, among other features, a washboard constructed similarly to an ordinary washboard and having a corrugated surface, the said washboard being provided with a soap compartment adapted to receive a cake of soap, with means for manually advancing the soap into soaplng position so that when the clothes are rubbed over the board the same will contact with a face of the soap, as will be hereinafter more fully disclosed.

In the further disclosure of the invention reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, constituting a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference denote corresponding parts in all the views, and in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the washbocrd; Fig. 2 is a horizontal transverse sectional view taken on the line 22 in Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken on the line 33 in Fig. 1, and Fig. 4 is a fragmental detail view of that part of my invention showing the pawl actu ating and pawl releasing mechanism.

Referring more particularlyto the views, use is made of a board body similar to the board body of an ordinary washboard and provided with a preferably corrugated plate 11 upon which the clothes to be soaped are adapted to lie, the clothes being advanced and retracted on the board in the usual manner, and over the roughened or corrugated plate 11.

A compartment 12 is formed in the board body 10, and an opening 13 is formed in the plate 11, the said opening being of the same size as the compartment 12 in the board body 10, the said compartment being preferably of a rectangular shape and adapted to receive a cake of soap. Mounted to slide in the compartment is a soap receiving plate 14:, the said plate being engaged by a screw 15 having one end, revolubly disposed in a strap 16 secured to the under side of the board body, a suitable handle 17 being provided on the scr w 15 for operating the same to advance or retard the plate 14: in the compartment 12. A ratchet wheel 18 is keyed to the screw 15 and is normally adapted to be engaged by a WitWl 19 which, when in engagement with the ratchet wheel. 18, will permit of rotating the ratchet wheel 18 in one-direction only, a thumb lever 20 being mounted to rotate on the strap 16 so as to engagewith the pawl 19 to move the pawl out of engagement with the ratchet wheel 18 when it is desired to rotate the ratchet wheel in a direction reverse to the normal rotation of the wheel. A bell crank lever 21 is mounted to swing onthe board body 10 and has pivotally connected to one arm thereof a spring-engaged operating lever. 22 mounted to rock on a strap 23 secured to the under side of the board body, the said operating lever having a knob 24 and adapted to project upwardly through the board body with the knob normally spaced a slight distance above the corrugated plate 11 as shown. A spring pawl 25 is pivotally connected to the other arm of the bell crank lever 21 and is adapted to mesh with the teeth on the ratchet wheel 18.

Now assuming that the receiving plate 14 is in lowermost position in. the compartment 12, if a cake of soap has been placed upon the receiving plate and in the compartment 12, a downward pressure is exerted on the knob 2st of the operating lever 21, moving the spring pawl 25 which, meshing with the ratchet wheel 18, will rotate the same, thus imparting rotation to the screw 15 and the said screw, engaging the under side of the receiving plate 14, will elevate the receiving plate in the compartment 12 so that the upper uncovered face of the cake of soap will lie slightly above the plane of the corrugated plate 11 of the board body 10. It will now be seen that when the clothes are rubbed backward and forward upon the corrugated plate 11 of the board body 10, they will contact with the projecting face of the cake of soap and in the operation of rubbing the clothes on a washboard the same will become impregnated with the soap, as will be readily understood. Now when the uncovcred fact of the soap wears down the soap is again advanced in the compartment 12 by pressing downwardly on the knob 24 of the operating lever 22, thus advancing the relever 22.

ceiving plate ll in the compartment in the same manner as mentioned heretofore.

hen all of the soap has been used and it is desired to place a new cake of soap upon theree'eiving plate 1 1, pressure is exerted on the thumb lever 20, thus moving the pawl 19' out of engagement with the ratchet wheel 18 ratchet wheel 18 and the operating lever 22 is preferably encircled by a spiral expansible spring 26 having one end thereof engaging the under side of the knob 24 and the other end thereof engaging the strap 23 to normally retain the spring pawl 25 in initial position for imparting rotation to the ratchet wheel 18 when a downward pressure is exerted upon the knob 14 of the operating It'will thus be seen that with a device of. the character described that when the clothes are rubbed over the corrugated plate 11 of the board body, the same will be readilyimpregnated or covered with soap from the cake of soap reposing in the com- A partment 12 and the cake of soap can be readily adjusted int-o soaping position by simply pressing downwardly on the operating lever 22.

Having thus described my invention, I

. claim 1. In combination a washboard, a relatively small houslng mounted therein, a slide plate arranged in said housing, a rotatable Copies ofthis patent may he obtained for ment, and means whereby said plunger may actuate said screw.

3. In combination with a washboard, a relatively small housing mounted in said wash board, a slidable plunger mounted in said wash board, a slide plate disposed in said housing, a tubular shank formed upon said slide plate, a strap engaging one side of said wash board, a screw threaded into said tubular shank, means for holding said screw against longitudinal movement, a ratchet wheel mounted upon said screw, a spring pawl arranged to engage said ratchet wheel, and means actuated by said plunger for operating said pawl.

4:. In combination, a wash board, a relatively small housing mounted in said wash board, a slide plate mounted in said housing, a tubular shank formed upon said slide plate, a screw threaded into said tubular shank, a strap secured upon one side of said wash board, a ratchet wheel fixed upon said screw, means for holding said screw against longitudinal. movement, a stud mounted upon said wash board, a bell crank lever fulcrumed upon said stud, a spring pawl connected to one end of said lever and adapted to engage with said ratchet wheel, a plunger reciprocating in said wash board and connected to the opposite end of said lever, a spring placed under compression as the plunger is moved forwardly, and a button carried by said plunger at the opposite side of said washboard. V 5. In combination a spindle, a ratchet wheel on said spindle, a spring pawl arranged to engage with said ratchet wheel, means for advancing said pawl to rotate said ratchet wheel, a fixed pawl arranged to engage with said ratchet wheel, a rod rotatable in said wash board, two radial fingers formed integrally upon said rod, a handle for rotating said rod, either of said fingers arranged to serve as a cam to engage said fixed pawl whereby to release it from said ratchet wheel.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

BRICE M. MOORE.

Witnesses:

IVILLIAM F. BARGER, ROBERT H. Bnroeronn.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. C. 

